Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1887-09-29
THE SECOND ATTEMPT.
Another Investigation Into
the DOings Of the Insane
Hospital Trustees.
The Public Examiner and the Attor
ney General Enquire About I'm
provements.

ne Public Examiner and the Atf0r-
ney General Enquire About I'm
provements.
During Tuesday Eight, as was briefly
stated yesterday, Public Examiner
Harris and Attorney General Temple-
ton sat as Oh investigation committee at
the Morrison house in this CITY, They
went into formal session and summoned
to their presence Messrs. Powers, Van
Tassel, Williams aud Lewis, members of
the board of trustees OF the south Dako-
ia Insane hospital. Court opened in
regular form and the trustees testified
that they
Were huiliing q boiler room at the
hospital.
Were boring an artesian we'll at the
hospital.
Were putting in an electric light plant
at the hospital.
Also that they had let contracts for
this work, without advertising for bids,
to men who were willing to take their
chances for pay, il necessary, through
an order from the next legislature, The
work properly came under the 1872, GOO
appropriation bill passed by the last
Legislature, but this fund is not avail
able and it is almost impossible to get
along without the Improvements
contracted for. The work was ordered
by o vote of ell the truetees-Messrs
Powers, Williams, VauTessel, Lewis and
Brown-and on motion OF Trustee
Brown.
This was all sworn to, so there can be
no doubt about the work being in pro-
gross. In fact. visitors to the hospital
for the past month have noted the rapid
progress of these improvements and the
expeditions manner IN which the board
executes its work. 1t did not need an
investigation to develop the fact. To the
common mind it has been for some time
an axiom. But to public officials out
of a job and yearning for public wages
the opportunity wal q fair d and was
embraced-a little late perhaps, but IN
time to squeeze three or four hundred
dollars from the treasury. So
the second investigation ran
the course OF Its fest stage, the investi-
gators notified the trnsteep that the en-
quiry would remain open ten days and
packed their grips and proceeded north
ward to meet tneir chief, who is lowering
about Mitchell. Something further is
looked for after their interview.
THE TESTIMONY.
The following is the testimony taken
before the public examiner, Trustee Van
Tassel being upon the witness stand:
Morrison house, Yankton, Oak, Sep.
TENDER 9th, 1SS7-Present-J. L. Sar-
gent, o. N. Harris, public examiner; @.
f. Tempelton, attorney general; b. 8.
| Williams, +. l.. VanTassel and William
M. Powers.
Mr.. vanTassel after being sworn by o.
N. Harris, p. E., testified as follows:
EXAMINATION BY MR.. TEMPLEToN.
@. Where do You reslde2 A. Yank.
ton.
@. What Office, if any, do you held in
connection with the management of the
Dakota hospital for the insane2 A.
Secretary.
@. You are one OF the members OF
the board of trustees and secretary OF
the board? A Yes. Sir.
o, When did You become O member
OF tne present board of trustees? a.
When Gov. Church appointed mel have
forgotten the date-that is / became SEQ.
rotary at the second meeting we held.
@. AS such secretary you kept the
minutes of the boardf A. l DID.
O.. And records OF oil the proceedings
of the board? a. Yes, sir.
@. Have you with yoE the book con-
tanning the records OF the meeting oil
the boar since your appointment BY
Gov. church, A.. / have.
I will ask you ii the board have evel
caused plans and specifications to be
made for the erection of wings or addi-
tions to the present building and fol
other improvements enumerated under
chapter "a Of the laws of 1882 A. They
caused plans end specifications to be
prepared for the two wings.
@. Have they caused plans and speci
ications to be prepared for any othel
improvements? A. No sir; we did NO
think it was proper to prepare plans fol
a hole in the ground and such Other
like improvements.
@. Have the board submitted AMI
plass and specifications for the wings t.
the governorP A. Yes. cir.
@. Have they submitted plans ant
specifications for any other OF the i'm.
provemepts mentioned 10 said chapter
a. No. sir.
Q. What improvements, if any, ar
beng made at the asylum under th,
provisions OF chapter Ga of the laws 0
1887? A. Chapter g. enumerates tina
whole 1872, 000-(witness shown code) TO
CONSTRUCTION of electric lights IN sal,
hospital ~$4,650-that Is the contrac
price-for an artesian we'll S4500-thati
the contract %price-and for q boile
: room; that is all.
:. O. The improvements which 20
have just mentioned are being mad
under the provisions OF chapter Ga of tn
laws OF 1887? A. I would have to req
the law.
@. That is your idea Of it? A, The
are being made under the particula
. appropriation mentioned in that chapte
a Did the board ever cause plans an
specifications to be prepared of th
r boiler room m~entionedP A. No sir
y as a member of the board considered
dangerous to light the insane hospit,
with kerosene oil and also considered
. unsafe, in q sanitary point OF view an
0 every other way, to be without . So
fiolent supply OF water.
@. To whom was the contract let Il